Encampments
Encampments are dwellings that people experiencing homelessness have created in areas that are unsuited for living. Making note of encampments will allow users to keep track of the encampment’s status over time.
The Camp Management Tools are found in the second tab of the navigation bar on the left of the screen. There are two subsections, "Camps" and "Camp Groups". To navigate to the Camps page, click on “Camps.”
On the Camps page, a map of your region will appear with points. Each of these points represent camps that are currently active or closed.
The Camps page also features a full list of the camps in the network under the map. The list is separated by their status — "Active", "Inactive", "Closed", and "Reopened".
Each individual camp appears in a camp card with the camp's status, the camp's title and description, and when the camp was created. The camp card includes either a small map of the camp's location or the picture of the camp.
Adding a Camp
To log a new camp, click on the “Add Encampment” button on the top right corner of the page.
On this page, you will see a map with a circle that will automatically mark your location using your device’s or computer’s geolocation services. Depending on your carrier and your device, your GPS location may be slightly off from where you are. Click and drag the circle to move it to your desired location.
Enter a name and description for the camp. Please avoid using client-level PII (Personally Identifying Information) for the name and description of the camp. To quickly generate a name for the camp, tap the “Generate Name” button to create a camp name based on its location.
Once a camp has been created, it is recommended that comments and observations for the camp are recorded in real-time and updated as you re-visit the camp. This allows users to better understand the state of the camp and track observations and encounters over time.